After Yan Yi and the others entered the teacher's office, the laboratory cabinet finally opened without a sound. Ning Xinyuan came out first, followed by Le Yu.
Le Yu did not hurry to leave. Instead, he put the clutter inside the cabinet back where it belonged, then plucked two black-and-red strands of hair from the pile. This was a reminder from Yin Yinyin's memories. After completing an assassination, white-haired assassins always collected any white hair they had shed, doing their best to conceal the truth of "white-hair killings" and make others believe the murder had been committed by an inn attendant, a passing masked rider, a notorious bandit, or a beautiful girl.
Although the imperial court had expressly decreed that "killing white-haired people is not a crime," officials in various places would not specifically lift people's hats to inspect their hair. However, once a white-haired assassin's murder occurred locally, the frequency with which officials and soldiers checked hats and wigs would abruptly rise. This amounted to a "major increase in the region's alert level," making it easier for white-haired assassins to expose themselves.
White-haired assassins, in particular, had an extremely vigorous metabolism and a very high rate of hair loss. Yin Yinyin often woke to find his pillow covered in hair, so collecting his own hair was an essential skill for his undercover operations.
By a strange coincidence, Le Yu had the same hidden danger. If anyone discovered red hair in the laboratory, they would definitely think of Qin Leyin.
After confirming that he had left no traces behind, Le Yu pressed himself against the laboratory door and listened for movement outside. Just as he confirmed that there was no one in the corridor and was about to leave, a hand suddenly patted his shoulder.
Le Yu turned his head